The pride that is part of our human nature often tempts us to boast about what we think we have done or what we think we can do; God hates pride (see Proverbs 6:16-17). Whether we think it, say it, or just act like it, we sometimes put confidence in ourselves above confidence of God. Even mature Christian slip into the pit of pride.
And even though God sometimes allows us to participate in His gracious displays of mercy and love, pride can still lead us to believe that we accomplish on our own what only He can do. We may start believing that in our own wisdom, goodness, strength and effort we can:
- Earn forgiveness for our sins.
- Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
- Convince someone of God’s truth so they turn from their sin.
- 2 Timothy 2:24-25 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
- Talk someone into surrendering to Christ as Savior.
- John 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
- Bring forth spiritual fruit in the lives of others by our works and effort.
- 1 Corinthians 3:7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.
- Overcome our inherent human weaknesses.
- Isaiah 40:29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.
- Understand the deep truths revealed in scripture.
- 1 Corinthians 2:10-11, 14 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. … 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
- Initiate the thoughts and deeds in our lives that glorify God.
- Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
- Figure out on our own how to live a righteous life that glorifies God.
- 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
Any such pride is self-righteousness. Jesus teaches and warns us about being self-righteous.
- Luke 18:9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
And beyond that, the Bible is clear that our own righteousness is worth nothing to God.
- Deuteronomy 9:6 Therefore understand that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people.
- Daniel 9:18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies.
- Isaiah 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
Godly righteousness in man has always been a precious gift of God in response to genuine faith in Him. Before Christ died on a cross to pay our sin debt, righteousness came from keeping God’s law.
- Deuteronomy 6:25 Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us.’
- Romans 10:5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.”
However, the problem is, people are not capable of keeping God’s moral law.
- Romans 3:10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;
- Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
The ceremonial law given by God looked forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. Ongoing animal sacrifices were used to cover the sin of the Israelites. Before the cross of Christ, righteousness came by heart-felt obedience God.
- Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’
- Romans 4:13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
So the law served as a teacher; it showed that because people are incapable of keeping the moral law of God, there had to be a savior. Jesus, who perfectly kept the law (He lived a sinless life), was sacrificed on a cross to pay our sin debt to God. This was the ultimate and final sacrifice necessary to cover the sin of all humanity.
- Galatians 3:24-25 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
- Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
- Galatians 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
Since the time of Christ’s sacrifice, righteousness comes by heart-felt obedience to God demonstrated by faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. God’s righteousness is credited to us because of what Christ did for us.
- Romans 3:22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
- 1 Peter 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.
Therefore, regarding my righteousness, I Didn’t Do It! God credited it to me when I accepted His gift of faith and trusted Christ as my Lord and Savior. The same is true for every Christian!
Prayer
Father, thank You for the righteousness that comes only by Your grace, through Your gift of faith in Jesus Christ, as revealed in Your Word, and enabled by Your Spirit. I pray that anyone reading Your Word in this devotion will ask for forgiveness of any self-righteousness. Sanctify Your saints and save the lost. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
